GradCAM

Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media

Location
Dublin (Ireland)

Since
2008

Disciplines
Design, Visual and performing arts, Media

Degree
PhD

Number of third cycle students
36 (a further 25 associated researchers are also listed)

Structure
GradCAM is a collaboration between the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the National College of Art & Design (NCAD), the University of Ulster (Ulster), and the Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dún Laoghaire (IADT). The school is located at NCAD in Dublin. Research activities are coordinated and led by a team of fellows (one from each institution), working alternately from GradCAM and their own institutions. There is a wider team of associate fellows engaged in supervision and teaching, and providing specialist input.
The school provides a framework for both traditional text-based research and practice-based and practice-led research. The structure of the curriculum is thematic rather than according to discipline; four identified themes are Design; Cultural Participation; Critical Pedagogies and Creative Practices; and Visual and Material Culture.

Requirements
An honours BA degree in a subject area relevant for the research is required; an MA is not required but desirable. Participants need to register as a PhD (or PhD track) student at one of the partner institutions.
Research students are required to attend seminars, workshops and lectures, particularly during the first two years of their studies, and to have regular meetings with their supervisors.
The exam work is to be presented at a public defense, and should be evidence of one’s artistic practice rather than single work. Part of the exam work consists of a written thesis; some people will only produce written work and documentation. Since the programme started in 2008, there are no graduates yet.

Publications and conferences
GradCAM organizes fortnightly research seminars, and a series of other symposia and events under the title “Speaking matters”. In May 2008, the international conference arts research: the state of play was held. A week-long conference, Arts Research: Publics and Purposes was organized in February 2010.

Supervision
Supervision is based on supervisory teams of 2-4, with an identified primary supervisor and 1-3 associate supervisors.

Embedding within the institution
Research students are registered at one of the participant institutions but based at GradCAM. The school is open to associate researchers from participant institutions and beyond, who have access to the seminars and teaching programme. Fellows as well as Associate fellows work from their own institution as well as from GradCAM for any period of time ranging from a semester to several years.

Funding and Stipendia
The two basic pathways for funding are through funded positions within specific research projects, and through external funding agencies. There is a proposal development workshop for prospective students to develop research proposals. The stipend for funded positions is approx. 16000 euros annually for four years.

www.gradcam.ie